In the Dark of the Night
by Omen freak
Summary: Samantha Hall, average girl from Ohio, is taken to Scotland with her parents to pursue a job opportunity. Who knew that signing on to babysit for some quick cash could turn out to be so... life threatening?
1. I don't like airplanes

**I'm back~ Same author of Sometimes It's Better Not Knowing and I'm gearing up with a new story. Now.. I've been seeing a trend with TLV fanfics and unfortunately... I'm here to smash that trend to bits! Not only does this story include inspiration from the movie BUT I'm also mixing in elements from the original source material: The books. Yes, the original Der Kleine Vampir (The Little Vampire)series by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg. I have read five of them that have been translated to English, so I'm shaking things up just a teeny bit. So follow me if you will, and dive into a world of bloodsuckers!**

I stalked about my room throwing a random assortment of clothes and books in my suitcases, mulling over my fast approaching move to Scotland. My mom and step-dad originally planned on it just being a vacation, but they got talking and the next thing I know, I'm told that we were moving there permanently. I was ok with it… for the most part. Yeah, I'm leaving friends behind and basically 'starting over', but it honestly sounded like fun. Of course I didn't have to worry about a new school, I graduated about three months early thanks to home schooling, -I had gotten pneumonia in the middle of my senior year and took online classes to stay caught up- and I gotten my license last month just after my eighteenth birthday. I imagine I would have to take a trip to the DMV, or their version of it, soon after arriving.

Most of the furniture had already been packed and shipped, really the only things left were what we are going to take with us as carry-on luggage.

"Samantha! Are you ready yet?" My step-dad called from the hall.

"Almost!" I answered over my shoulder as I stuffed the last of my books into the suitcase and zipped it closed. I turned to my laptop and slipped it into its carrying case along with the charger and its ventilation stand. After I pulled on my worn out hoodie, shoving my trusty IPod into the pocket, I looped the strap of the laptop case over my shoulder and literally dragged my suitcase out of my room into the hallway. I turned around, giving one last look at my soon to be old room. A lot of memories were held in those walls with their pre-dawn blue wallpaper peeling slightly at the corners. With a small smile, I took the handle of my suitcase and trudged down the hall. I stopped at the top of the stairs when I heard mom and my step-dad talking.

"I just got the phone call, the cargo plane just left the airport. With any luck it will be hauled to the new place before we get there." Mom shoved her cell back into her purse. She was dressed in her usual 'business casual' - a charcoal grey blouse with matching pencil skirt and simple flats- which she wore when she wanted to make friends with a new business partner. That was actually the reason for our move, she had gotten a promotion within her real-estate company, Forever Home, and is now the head manager of the Scotland branch.

"Great, now hopefully we'll get there in one piece." My step-dad, Charles, laughed. He wasn't as 'sharp' as mom with his clothing choices; jeans and a tee-shirt didn't compare to moms' 'I've got a matching blazer for every occasion' wardrobe. He's a published author, most of his books being in the horror genre although he did have an autobiography on his writing career. I was wanting to read though some of them, but it would be kinda weird when the guy who wrote them is sitting across from you eating toast with peanut butter and honey at the breakfast table. That'd be one hell of a conversation, wouldn't it?: 'Hey, I like that part in chapter nine where the killer rips the spine out of that blonde with a meat hook.' Yeah, weird. I griped the handle of my suitcase a little tighter and descended the old stairs to where mom and Charles were standing.

"All packed and ready to go!" I came up beside them, making sure not to set my heavy as hell suitcase on my foot. Mom said something about locking up as she went out to start to car; she was wanting to give us more 'step-father/daughter' bonding time. I didn't mind because Charles was a really great guy.

"So, what have you got in here? Rocks?" He gave a smile as he did a test pick up of my suitcase.

"Uhm… no?" I put on my best 'trying not to be suspicious' face and added the voice to go with it. "Just books…. Really, really heavy books... Yeah, it's just books."

"Your shifty eyes need some work." Charles laughed as we started to walk toward the door. The only thing we needed to do was turn the inside lock since mom already turned in the keys. "Excited?"

"Kinda sorta. Not really looking forward to the flying part, too many people in a small space and the possibility of getting stuck behind or in front of a screaming baby are not on my list of fun things to do." I turned the lock on the inside of the door and pulled it closed behind me as Charles and I took our time getting to the car, "Not to mention airline food sucks."

"Ah, but its only eight or nine hours. How bad can it be?" Charles was laying on the sarcasm which caused us both to burst out laughing. He knew the joys of the airline industry first hand. As soon as my suitcase was in the trunk with the rest of them, we set out of the driveway. It was going to be a while before we actually get to the airport so I had some downtime to think with the aid of music and listening to mom and Charles gush on and on about the new environment. It was going to be some adventure, indeed.


	2. Arrival

**Here we are. I had completely forgotten I had uploaded the first chapter of this over a year ago, but hey, I'm still writing for it!**

We got to the airport in relatively one piece; we had a bit of a hamburger spill when some jerk cut us off coming out of a gas station. The chaotic sprawl before me was a reminder of why I hate airports, but somehow we managed to get our bags through the gates without too much trouble. I think waiting in line was the most tedious part of the whole experience. Finally though, we got through the terminal and boarded the plane…after Charles got pulled aside a few times to sign a few things. I was glad to take the middle seat with mom on my left and Charles to my right; he found looking out the window at the earth below to be both relaxing and enlightening. Other people began filtering through to their seats, shoving their carry-on bags into the overhead compartments and settling down for a long flight, and to my added delight, not a single infant was among them! I was content with a smile on my face to listen to the flight attendants shepherding people to their seats, while offering others snacks or drinks before takeoff. I scanned the flow as they passed idly, several of them were wearing the same floral patterned shirt in different colors. An elderly couple scooted into the section of seats behind us while a couple of men in business suits claimed the section in front of us. _Another added bonus!_ I thought to myself, pleased that I knew for a fact that this trip would have very little annoyances. The plane filled to the brim and right on cue, the lead attendant took to the front and with a little outlet radio in hand began to recite all the safety precautions and what to do in the event of an emergency. The seatbelt light clicked on above her head and no one had to be told twice as she demonstrated how to properly fasten it with a dummy set for first-time flyers; the air mask demonstration followed along with how to properly secure a life vest. She ended her speech with a warning to turn off all electronic devices before takeoff and an overly cheery 'Enjoy your flight!" before disappearing behind a curtain.

The noise level climbed to a low hum with people whispering to their seatmates but it soon climbed to a dull roar when the engines revved up in preparation for our assent into the skies. We took down the runway, gaining speed before slowly rising off the ground. My stomach did a flop and a rising since of anticipation in my chest was reminiscent to the feeling of a roller-coaster climbing to the top of the track before plunging down at breakneck speed. Of course…this was no roller-coaster and there was no plunge of speed, but an odd sense of stability washed over me as we leveled out miles off the ground. The seatbelt light clicked off and the lead attendant instructed that devices can be used at a low volume and with Airplane Mode turned on.

"Hey mom?" I tapped her arm after a few minutes of silence. She marked the page of the magazine she was reading with her finger.

"Hm?" She looked up, her magazine pages flopping over.

"Where are we landing exactly? I don't think I got the full details yet..."

"Well… let's see…" She tapped her chin with the index finger on her free hand "We'll be landing in Aberdeen then we'll take the train to Marrowton and then from there it'll be a drive to the new place." She traced the air with her finger as if mapping it out mentally. "Charles… do you know if we'll be getting a car or we'll be with a cab?"

"A cab, from what I remember. Didn't your new boss say that they'll be donating a car for us to use?" Charles looked away from the window for a moment, his nose scrunched up like it did when he was trying to remember something. Mom tapped her chin some more before a glimmer of remembrance flashed in her eyes.

"Oh! Yes, that's right" She snapped her fingers. "We'll all have to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road" She chuckled, turning back to her glossy gardening magazine. A hard lump formed in my stomach as I turned back into my seat. I barely got the hang of driving back home, doing just well enough to pass my exam…but the prospect of relearning everything made me almost physically sick. I turned my iPod over in my hands, twisting a pair of Skullcandy earbuds in my fingers. I'll be fine, it can't be that bad. Loads of people drive like that so it can't be too difficult to learn. I finally popped my ear buds in and turned on Shuffle, hoping that some good tunes would quell any doubts of my future adventures.

I must have fell asleep because my mind was aware of a change of atmosphere of people chattering about in rapt anticipation. A stabbing pain in my neck cause me to grumble and lean forward, my head adjusting from the angle it was craning in. I pulled my earbuds from my ears just in time to hear the last of the head flight attendants landing speech.

"…make sure you take all your personal belongings when exiting the plane. I hope you enjoyed your flight and welcome to Aberdeen!" Her overly cheery voice was almost grating on my ears.

"Look who's finally awake. How'd you sleep, kiddo?" Charles patted the top of my head, smoothing down the cowlicks that must have formed while I was asleep.

"Fairly well, considering. Though the crick in my neck begs to differ." I swung my head around, cracking out the soreness.

"That's what you get for falling asleep on his shoulder for twelve hours. Out like a light." Mom threw in with a beaming smile. She looked ready to go with her purse on her lap, she no doubt downed two or three cups of black coffee before I woke up.

"You make such a nice pillow!" A threw a falsetto cheery voice at Charles, a grin plastered on his face. "Anything I missed?"

"Ah, not much. Someone got sick in row B, smelled like cabbage." Charles rolled the stiffness from his shoulders, gathering up his Writing Bag (a leather briefcase that kept all his notes and a Notebook laptop) and picked up my Urban Survival Kit (AKA my purse) that had slid under his feet.

"That's sick. I'm glad I was asleep for that." I scooted my purse onto my lap, honestly really glad I missed someone getting sick. I may have a strong stomach for many things, but watching or hearing someone else's sick was not one of them. The plane jostled a bit as we approached the tarmac and the landing gear descended from the underside of the plane. I looked out the window, not surprised that Charles was doing the same, just as the Aberdeen airport came into view. As far as I was concerned, I'd call this plane trip a rousing success.


	3. Trains, just as bad as airplanes

**Here we are, number 3! Traveling isn't what it's cracked up to be, is it?**

As soon as the plane landed and we were cleared to exit, the atmosphere of the plane turned from tired and annoyed to relived and anxious. Mom was the one of the first people to jump up from the seats, scooting to the isle to access the overhead compartments. She quickly pulled my laptop case out and handed it to me before shutting the compartment and scooting back to her seat before a herd of passengers flooded the isles. I'd have to say the absolute worst thing about air travel, not the crying infants or the angry fliers… though they do contribute, it's in fact the exiting of the plane. You're tired, hungry and you'd like to hall off and deck the loudmouth kid who kept kicking your seat the entire flight while its mother just sat there admiring her nails. But you can't, no you have to be polite to those around you and not cause a scene or else you get security called on you. I've seen a thing or two, trust me. Somehow, we managed to find an opening in the stream of people wide enough to squeeze ourselves in. I had my purse and laptop case hugged against me like a shield as the sluggish procession waddled itself out of the plane.

The first thing that hit me was I finally left the plane was how cold it was. It was only September, but it left like the middle of January compared with being back in Ohio. The sky had a steely overcast, threatening rain, as we quickly rushed into the terminal inside the airport for no other reason than to escape the cold. Inside wasn't much warmer until we crossed to the customs barrier and check-in. The process was fairly quick, no snags to be heard of as we crossed through the last of the metal detectors and TSA agents with their wands until we were about to collect our carry-on items and head on over to the luggage belt. My suitcase full of eighty percent books came last out of mom's and Charles's, and trying to man-handle the thing through a crowded, foreign airport made me regret not getting one with wheels.

Mom and Charles stopped by a cleared out space of floor near a row of new-ish looking leather chairs. I figured out why when Charles pulled out a map he had printed out before we left. I barely heard him say something about 'needing to get a taxi to the train station" over the roar of a thousand voices having multiple conversations at once. I flopped down on one of the chairs, I had a feeling that this might take a while…Charles's wasn't the best at reading maps and mom would rather rely on her 'gut feeling'. I got a pang in my stomach all of a sudden that reminded me that I haven't had a chance to go to the restroom yet. My foot began tapping on the grey marble floor as I swung around in my chair, looking for any sign of a restroom. Finally I found one, on the far wall right behind this row of chairs. I jumped up and quickly passed my laptop case to mom, who was hunched over the map with Charles, and muttered to her about needing the restroom. She just inclined her head, shouldering the strap before turning back to the map. I took a straight beeline to the glory that was the restrooms, careful to not bump into any one or make myself look out of place by almost running. I breathed a sigh of relief the second I laid hand on the pull handle, swinging it open and quickly side stepping two older ladies by the sinks and into the first open stall I found.

Sitting, thankful I didn't make a mess, I was able to let my shoulders relax and take in that I'm in a new country. That fact was hammered in by the two ladies by the sinks, chitchatting as if they were in a sitting room, sipping away on cups of tea.

"Catch this morning's report on the tellybox, Marge? A storms coming in fast."

"The last half of it, my Shaun kept jabbering about. Couldn't hear a think, mind you. Where's it hitting?"

"Say's McAshtonland is gonna get the brunt of it, with the surrounding lands taking their fair share. Not good traveling weather, I should say. Hate to get caught in it."

"Aye, suppose I should get a move on, Jinn's watching the little ones." The sound of a faucet turned on for a minute then off, then finally the door closed and I was alone. The accents, with how thick that one woman's was, was probably the biggest adjustment that I will have to get used to. Just thinking of trying to have a conversation with someone here was making my head spin. With a sigh, I roused myself out of the stall and trudged over to the sink. The soap and water were automatic, which was a huge relief for me. Public restrooms are always sketchy to me no matter how clean they look. While washing my hands I got a good look at myself in the mirror; my nap on the plane nor the florescent lighting in here didn't do me any favors. I could successfully blend in to a crowd, that's for sure, with long black hair, fair skin with slight freckling on my cheeks (and on my arms. I burned more than I tanned to be completely honest) and brown eyes. I've been asked, back when I was in high school, what my favorite feature about myself was and every time I was asked, I always answered the same: my hair. To be completely fair, I both love and hate my hair. I love it because it's long, short hair on myself irritates the piss out of me and I hate it because it is thin and it doesn't hold any shape other than straight. I can't win.

Leaving the restroom, I got myself back to where mom and Charles were still hunched over the map, now bickering in hushed whispers on how to get to the train station as quickly as possible. I scooted in beside them, mom looked up and she sounded worn out,

"Feel better, honey?"

"Much. Hey, I have a question… two ladies in the restroom were talking about a storm hitting close by. They said in was in… McAshtonland? Is that close?"

"Uhm… let me look." Mom shooed Charles off the map to scan it. "I'm not seeing it."

"Aright then, they said it wasn't good traveling weather. Good news for us right?" I laughed a little, trying to ease the tension of long distance travel. I got a smile from Charles, who folded the map back up, though somewhat haphazardly, and shoved it in the front pocket of his rolling suitcase. We gathered our things once for and trudged through the see of constantly shifting bodies, picking out the best path that would get us to the main entrance and hopefully into the back of a Taxi. Quite a few times, people jostled us from all angles until we were finally spat out at the glass and steel doors of the main entrance.

Cool, crisp air stung the tip of my nose, I looked up as I tried to bring my hoodie closer to my body. Dark clouds were starting to swirl around, boiling with anticipation and heavy with rain. Perhaps those two ladies were wrong about where the storm would hit? I was snapped from my cloud gazing by the honking of a horn; Charles managed to flag down a Taxi. I hurried in behind mom, helping her shove our things into the trunk as Charles gave the driver our destination. Money exchanged hands, since the train station wasn't too far off, and we piled in. Idle pleasantries consisted of: 'Where are you from?", "What brings you here?", "Where are you going?" and the weather.

"Aye, a storm is a brewing. Can't say I'm one to believe old wives' tales, but my thumbs are pricking something awful." Our driver was almost hard to understand, he spoke in a wheezy voice that was a touch too fast. We started off down the road, changing lanes every so often.

"Where is the storm going to hit exactly? We heard something earlier about it." Mom ventured, trying to sound unconcerned but I could tell that she was getting nervous and I don't blame her one bit.

"Ah, McAshtonland's due for the worst. They're predicting hail the size of your fist!" He balled up his fist and waved it around as an example. I took that as an exaggeration, his hand was quite large and had a lot of callousing from what I could see of it. He must tend a farm when he's not driving folks around.

"And where's that exactly? We looked on the map and didn't see anything." Mom offered, prying for more information. Charles was about to whisper to her to let it go when the driver burst out laughing.

"Ha! Oh, you're on your way to Marrowton, you say? That's the very center of McAshtonland, Lord McAshton has himself a fine lot of land that he does. Heard on the tellybox an interview with him going on about a new golf resort he's designing. Been at it for a year, hired on an American to do the job so I heard. You're in for a treat, I'd say." The driver rambled on and on, completely on a tangent now that he seemed content with staying on. A chill wormed its way into my stomach and I was completely regretting what I had said earlier. Mom sat tight lipped, her hand clutching her purse in a death grip. Charles patted her hand with a soothing whisper. Mom was kinda superstitious about storms during traveling, especially the first day like if it stormed on the first day of travel, the rest of it would be utter hell. A silence settled over the backseat, our driver not caring but was content to keep on filling the air with jabber; rain drops started to sprinkle down in a fine mist as we approached the station. The windshield wipers clicked on just as we pulled up and we launched out of the taxi in a hurry, grabbing out things and ducking inside the building before we got drenched. Mom snuffed with disdain, accompanying Charles to the nearest ticket booth. I rocked on my feet, nervousness worming its way up my throat. I was fine flying on a plane, I've done that many times, but I've never been on a _passenger_ train. I mean, yes, I've been on Cass Railroad, but that was for a vacation and it wasn't really going anywhere, just up a small mountain and then back down. I swallowed hard, venturing inside a bit more, catching a glimpse of a coal-black train, rain running down its sides.

A while after a ton of waiting and Charles running back and forth to confirm times we finally boarded that same coal-black train. I stepped carefully up the metal steps and into the corridor sandwiched between mom and Charles. Mom opted to take the lead, a mask of determination laced her face which I can only assume was her trying to shake off any bad feelings about the fast approaching storm. She scanned the compartments until she found one that was empty all the way in the back. I scooted in behind her, stowing my things on the overhead compartments before plopping down by the window, rain drizzling down in rivers. I tapped my foot as Charles and mom settled down, they both looked just a frazzled as I felt. I squished myself into the seat, but in mid-squish, the train lurched forward and I jumped. A pulling in my stomach mirrored the train pulling out of the station, slowly gaining speed until the grey concrete melted into the dark green of rain dampened fields and hillsides. I peeled my eyes away from the mottled green landscape that was blurring by, the jumbled mess of twists in my stomach was dying away thankfully. It was going to be a long trip, I could just feel it.


	4. It was a dark and stormy night

**Here we are with chapter 4! This one hit me with a wall, it might be a bit rough in some areas. Tell me your thoughts or theory's.. you'll understand at the end ;)**

The storm raged above our heads, pinging on the windows and sounding like baseballs being dropped from sky on the roof of the train. The window was filled with rivers of rainwater, constantly breaking off and flying away with the speed of the train. Had it not been storming, I'd image a searing display of red and gold sunlight would have cast the compartment with burning and glittering tones but no, a dreary dim light cast dull, watery shades on the faux-wood walls and the seats covered in faded red fabric. Night was falling and quickly; mom and Charles's heads drooped down, hers coming to rest on his shoulder and his to rest on her head. I reached up and pulled on the chain connected to a lamp that was bolted to the wall on my side of the window, filling the compartment with a weak yellow glow. Sure, it wasn't that useful now but it would be later. A rattling sounded outside in the corridor, but it was muffled through the sliding wooden door with its frosted glass inlays. It sounded like a cart being push or pulled down the aisle. I looked over at the door, a shadowy shape blocking the lights of the corridor and looking pixilated on the frosted glass. Three quick tabs rattled the glass before the door was slid open revealing a plump middle-aged woman with her speckled grey hair pulled up into a tight bun. She fiddled with adjusting a white apron over a light pink dress then adjusted small golden glasses before gestured to a cart she was pushing.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" She said sweetly, her accent wasn't too thick to understand thankfully. Mom and Charles didn't offer to move, they must have been really out of it. I got up and went over to look at the food and snack laden cart. The top layer was mostly individually wrapped deli sandwiches and bags of chips, most of which I had no idea what they were but some I recognized from the logos but were under a different name. The same was true for the second and third layers, candies and drinks respectively. I picked out a few things that I recognized and some for mom and Charles too. The cart lady smiled, she didn't have a name tag on her apron to my surprise, and have a nod when I offer thanks before pushing the cart to the next compartment and repeating the process. I slid the door shut and laid the snacks on seat cushion beside me, picking out mine: a can of Coke and a package of Oreos. I watched as the bleary grey light faded to black, the only thing lighting the shimmering rivers of rainwater was the lamp. It would still be a good while till we get to Marrowton station.

I was jerked awake as the train slowed, sloshing my stomach around until the momentum of the train came to a halt. I drew my arms above my head and stretched the sleep from my joints and stood up, looking out the window. Rain was still coming down in sheets but the lights of the station left a grey glow. I got my stuff from the overhead compartment after Mom and Charles, both sending smiles and thanks for the snack I left for them. Charles slid the door open and ushered us, dragging our belongings, into the corridor to going a thin, weak stream of people getting off at the station. Cold, wet air, smelling slightly of smoke and farmland, hit my face with enough force to make me cough slightly. We skirted by groups of talking people as we left the platform, Charles locating a cart for our luggage, and trying to make our way to hail a car to get us to our new home. I looked up at a clock on the wall just as we were leaving, it read eleven forty-two. We stood under the extended roof of the station, shivering as headlights cut through the darkness and an old looking car pulled up in front of us. For the second time today, we threw our stuff in the truck and clambered into the back of a taxi. Charles gave the driver the address before settling back against the seat.

"All the way out there? That'll cost ye extra." The driver snorted gruffly and let out a smokers cough before taking off down a winding road. The journey was long and silent until something nearly smacked off the windshield and the driver swerved sharply to the right, throwing us about the back.

"What the hell was that?" Mom's voice wavered in a shrill tone, she was clutching the driver's headrest in a death grip. The driver threw a sharp left to get us back on the road but didn't even bother to ask if we were alright. A chilled silence fell as we all started at the driver, who seemed to be gripping the wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned a sickly shade of white. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity staring at him while the windshield whippers squeaked across the glass, he spoke in a raspy tone,

"Damned rats with wings, infesting the countryside like a plague."

"What are you talking about? Bats?" Charles gave a laugh not only to shake off the tension but also at the absurdity of the whole thing.

"Aye, bats." The driver spat with vile distaste. "Filthy vermin, skulking around an' feeding on good farmers livestock."

"They don't hurt… people? Do they?" Mom gave a shudder. Charles quickly reached over to whisper calming words into her ear. I looked up and locked eyes with the driver in the rearview and without breaking his gaze he growled,

"Don't let them get the chance."

We scrambled from the taxi as quick as we could, the driver uttering one last thing to me specifically as he leaned out the window,

"A pretty lass like you better watch your back." He sped off flinging mud and gravel behind him. I bolted to the landing of a two story stone cottage in a flash, not really feeling the weight of my suitcase anymore, partially because of the downpour but also to get as far as I could away from the quickly fading taillights. The door opened with a squeal and we stepped inside, dripping on the stone slab entryway. Someone clicked on a light, filling the room with bright yellowish white light. The room, though it was bare, had a feeling of being home. The floor was tiled with cream colored tiles and accents of blue dotted the room, while the walls were paneled with wood. A few boxes were stacked in a corner and I dropped off my stuff against the wall by the door to check it out.

"Oh, the movers must have gotten a few things in before the storm hit." Charles found a place for his things before moving to the boxes with me. We tore off the packing tape and flipped the leaves of the box open. Mom plucked a few things off the top and examined them, giving an approving nod.

"That was so nice of them to unload the box that had the blow up mattress!" She shooed us out of the way so she could pull the rest of the blue inflatable mattress from the box. The cord was the last to be taken from the box and I started opening the others that were behind the first; throw blankets and pillows were now laying on the floor as Charles hooked up the power pack with the cord to the outlet on the far side of the room, next to the kitchen door. A whirring started up from the power pack, a fan started blowing air through a hose into the blue plastic-y mattress, puffing it up till near bursting. Mom capped it and the power pack was turned off.

"There now… nice and homey. I'm going to get the blankets and pillows laid out then try to relax for the night." Mom bent over to gather up the bed stuff before looking up at me with a wink, "Don't stay up too late."

"Don't worry, I won't. I'm going to look around upstairs." I shot a smile before heading off to the back of the house. I found the stairs built into the wall between the living room and the dining room and clicked on the light but a small _pop_ turned a flash of light back into darkness.

"What was that?" I heard mom call from the living room.

"Light bulb blew out." I called back, fishing my iPod from my hoodie pocket and unlocked the screen, squinting to find my flashlight app. Light flooded the stairwell and I slowly climbed up the creaking steps, my hand sliding up the railing. The wood felt well-worn under my hand as I climbed higher until I reached the landing. I pointed my light at all the walls, trying to find a switch but I found none. Maybe the switch downstairs controlled the upstairs hall? I swung my light to the first door, illuminating the cut crystal doorknob with light blue porcelain inlays. I gripped it and turned, expecting to feel resistance but the bolt slit from its home with ease, letting the door open with the tiniest squeak from the hinges. I pushed it open all the way, letting the light play on the wooden floors. This room had some furnishings, a few chairs and a spindly legged end table. I patted the wall to find the switch, feeling the cool wooden surface beneath my finders, and when I found it, I flipped it up. Nothing happened so I flipped back down but to find the same result. Puzzled, I tilted my IPod to shine the light on the ceiling. I let out a frustrated sigh when my light found an empty light fixture. I backed out of the room and opened the door across the hall.

A bathroom covered in white tiles which reflected the light back at me and I decided that since two lights were not working, I should test all of the upstairs before tomorrow. I found the switch right beside the door frame and clicked it on. Bright light flared in my eyes, and the bathroom was bathed in light showing the pristine tiled walls and floor. The bathroom itself was quite large and could easily fit five or six people comfortably. The sink had delicately curving silver handles inlayed with the same blue porcelain as the doorknobs. I noted that the claw footed bathtub matched the sink, but the 'odd man out' was the toilet, it had a simple modernized design. I clicked the light off, leaving the bathroom and continued down the hall to the last two doors. The next door that I opened was along the same wall as the bathroom and after testing the switch, which the light came on, I did a quick scan of the room. A fireplace sat against the back wall but there was no other furniture in the room. Thunder rumbled over my head as I went across the hall, gripping the doorknob. It's at times like this where your mind likes to play tricks on you, leading you down dark fantasy's that make you scared of your own shadow. My heart beat hard in my chest as I turned the doorknob slowly and then pushed the door open slower still. I breathed a sigh of relief but a strong crack of thunder made me jump. I let out a shaky laugh as I tested the light switch, the bulb came on but flickered out. And there's number three… I noted to myself. Shining my light around the room, I noticed that it too had a fireplace along with a table sitting in the middle of the room. My light ran over the wall and across the windows, reflecting on something red. At first I played it off as a pair of tail lights from someone's car going down the road, but these didn't move. My heart rate picked up again as I stared into those red orbs until they blinked. A cold chill ran down my spine, dropping my stomach like a ton of brinks. I stood, transfixed both by the red orbs but also by fear; my iPod shook in my hand, threatening to fall to the floor and wobbling the light against the wall and window. Suddenly the eyes moved upwards and out of sight and I bolted for the door, closing it tight behind me. I raced down the stairs, not even worried about tripping in the darkness until I was bent over with my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath.

"Hey kiddo? You doing ok?" Charles patted my back as my breathing and heart rate slowed down. "You look like you saw a ghost."

"I'm… fine. Tripped a little coming down the starts." I stood up. Charles raised an eyebrow but didn't press it. "Three light bulbs are done for up there, two still work."

"Figures. If the weather clears up, we can run to the store after the big stuff gets in. Oh, there is a bathroom on the other side of the kitchen." He gave me another pat on the back. I walked back into the living room, glad that mom was turned away, still fiddling with a fitted sheet on the air mattress. I rummaged through my stuff until I found a much worn tee shirt and a pair of sleep pants. Tucking my clothes under my arm I headed towards the downstairs bathroom, still trying to shake those eyes from my mind.


	5. Preteens are the worst

**Back again with another long awaited chapter! Life got in the way, you all know how that goes. So.. I'd hate to say but this will update whenever I actually get a chance to get a chapter cranked out. But until then... Enjoy!**

Some mornings I feel like I'm back in Ohio, just lying in bed with my eyes still closed, listening to the silence before I'm ready to get up. Other mornings….not so much. Over the last month my dreams have been plagued by off and on nightmares of old abandoned houses and glaringly red eyes stalking dark windows. My eyes snapped open just a few seconds before my alarm when off, blaring harshly in my ears. I rolled over and turned it off before setting my feet on the chilly hardwood floor, making a mental note to put a rug down before it got too cold, but being October in Scotland…it was already that cold; I swear I saw a lining of snow on the ground one morning a few days ago. I stood up, shaking the sleep from my body and went over to the window, pulling my double sided silver blackout curtains away from the window. A layer of silver frost clung to the grass below making it look like shards of faded green glass. I was very hesitant about taking this room but Mom convinced me otherwise. I made a point to keep my curtains blocking the windows at night, my mind running in circles at the chance that those red eyes would come back. The first few nights, I had woken up in a cold sweat hearing scratching on glass but not sure if it was real or just a dream.

I let the curtain fall back into place and turned to the door, taking the chilly crystal in my hand before opening the door to step into the slightly warmer hallway. Rugs lined the floor and stock scenery hung framed on the walls, I stopped at the top of the stairs listening to the TV that was mottling through the morning news. I padded down the stairs and the air got warmer the closer I got to the kitchen. Charles had taken over breakfast, a stack of pancakes and a great bowl of scrambled eggs gave it away.

"Just missed your mother…" Charles mumbled through a cheek full of egg, his fork poised for another bite. I slid into a vacant chair and scooped up an empty place that was sitting on a place mat, loading it with two pancakes and a generous scoop of eggs. When I was reaching for the syrup, Charles slid a bright pink flier with a full color picture of a smiling family at me.

"What's that?" I raised an eyebrow, dousing my pancakes with syrup. I picked up the flier and scanned the bold, black and highly stylized lettering.

"Picked it up in town the other day after you said you wanted to get a start on job hunting. Figured you'd want some cash flow coming in while you scout around." He smiled, taking a bite of egg off his fork. I chuckled and scanned the glaringly pink paper. Apparently the Thompson family is looking for a sitter for their ten year old son, Tony.

"Huh. The squirt doesn't look like he'll be too much trouble to watch…" I scanned the slightly pixilated picture, looking at a boy with spiky blond hair flashing a cheeky grin, his arms draped behind the necks of his parents who were couching down beside him. I looked down farther on the page and nearly did a spit take with my syrup covered pancake.

"What's wrong, are you ok?" Charles jumped up, patting my pack firmly to dislodge any stuck food in my throat. I nodded and pointed at the page, couching. He took the page as I regained myself and looked hard at it.

"Jesus H. Christ! Fifteen pounds an hour, are you serious?" He gaped. "That's nearly-"

"A little over nineteen dollars in U.S. money, I know." I finished for him, clearing out my throat, still stuck with a light rasp. I had babysat a few times for our neighbors back in Ohio but they were quick to charge around five or so an hour, ten if the kid was particularly hyper that night.

"They listed a number to call to 'apply'. Interested at all?" Charles passed the flier back to me and I tucked it under my plate to keep it out of the way.

"Yeah, sure… why not?" I laughed into my next bite. "I'll call in the afternoon, I doubt they'll appreciate at being called at seven in the morning….on a Monday." I added with a wry smile. Charles smirked before finishing off his plate and lounging back in his chair. He was doing a lot of lounging lately, waiting for the publicist to get back to him on a draft he sent in shortly after we moved. I was glad to see him doing something other than hunching over his laptop and stressing about his work being good enough; he was able to relax a bit now and enjoy the peacefulness of the countryside. Finishing my breakfast, I took my plate to the sink then slipped out of the kitchen, pausing in the living room to listen to the TV.

 _"_ _Reports from Lord McAshton's estate tell that this golf resort should be complete by this coming June. Right in time for summer, as his head of construction, Robert Thompson, commented to us."_

I nodded to myself, making the connection with the pricy payment for babysitting, guess he had the cash to throw around. Turning away from the TV, I decided to while away the hours by popping on up to what mom dubbed 'the craft room' which was the third room upstairs; Charles had wanted it to be a storage room but mom won out with her argument that she wanted somewhere where she could relax and finally start knitting again and that I was an avid jigsaw puzzle addict and that I needed a place to not only put them together but to store them after I glued them together. I wasn't surprised to see Charles frequent the room, he liked to sit buy the window with a sketch pad or notebook and doodle while he sipped on some coffee, stirring up ideas for his books. I padded the stairs and turned to open the door, scanning the room. Mom's current project, winter scarves, lay in an organized pile on her cushy rocking chair that was positioned in front of a TV. Over on a large table tucked into the corner was my current puzzle, I preferred landscapes and 'fantasy images' as the box would call them. I scooted my chair out and plopped down, picking up where I left off.

I trudged back downstairs, rubbing the back of my neck to get a crick out. Bending over a puzzle, even a glow in the dark dragon one, for several hours would give anyone a pain. I figured I had wasted enough time, so I went to the kitchen to retrieve the flier which was sitting right where I had left it this morning. I picked up the cordless phone from its base on the wall beside the fridge and dialed the numbers one at a time, checking with the flier so I didn't transpose any. As soon as I pressed the last number, I held the phone up to my ear, listening to the robotic ringing. Once…Twice…Thrice and on the fourth ring, someone picked up.

" _Hello? Who is this?"_ A woman's voice broke through the silence, it was nice to hear the voice of an American again even though it has a slight tinge of an accent, which wasn't surprising since they has supposedly been here for a year now.

"Uh, hello. I'm calling about the flier for a sitter, my name is Samantha Hall." I was a bit nervous, talking on the phone wasn't one of my best suits but as I said my name, I felt a swell of confidence.

" _Oh, great! Well, I'm Dottie, Dottie Thompson. Say, you don't happen to be from the States? I hope you don't mind me prying but you sound it_." She gave a little laugh.

"Yeah, I am. My folks and I moved in about a month ago, business opportunities, you know how that goes." I added in, knowing she would. "We moved from Ohio."

 _"_ _Oh you did? That's great! Tony would love to have someone who 'gets it'. That's our son, Tony. He just turned ten last week, hope he won't be too much of a handful."_ She gave another laugh, this one would have been accompanied with a wink if we had been in person.

"Oh, I don't doubt it. I've sat for a few kids back home, usually neighbor kids or the kids of my parents' friends; anywhere from the ages of six to twelve." I tossed in the age range knowing that she's probably seeing if I'm actually cut out for the job. Her end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

 _"_ _Great! Hm, could you be here at around 3 this afternoon? Tony and Bob will be home at that time and I think it would be a great start to introductions. What do you say?"_

"Oh, uh sure! Let me grab a pen to write the address down." I reached over to the fridge and plucked a pen from a magnetic holder and then turned the flier over for a clean writing surface. "Alright, I'm ready for it."

 _"_ _Alright, it's 829 Hollowhall Lane."_ She took a pause while I echoed it back, writing it down.

"Awesome, thanks. I'll be down that way around three." I smiled as I capped the pen. She said her good-bye and hung up. After pressed the end button I hung the phone back on its base and took my now addressed paper from the table. Heading back upstairs, I hopped on my laptop, opened Google Maps and plugged in my address and the one I was given. Hitting print, I sat staring at the screen for a while, unsure if I would be able to get there by myself. I was getting used to the winding, twisting Scottish roads but I was still unsure about the while 'driving on the wrong side of the road' thing. There had been several close calls while driving to the nearest village market. I got up and went over to my dresser, pulling out a three quarter sleeve burgundy top and a pair of well-worn dark blue jeans. Tossing my pajamas aside, I slipped my shirt over my head and then shimmied my pants up; I was changing my socks when a knock sounded from my door.

"Yeah?" I said, adjusting my toes. The door opened a crack and Charles's poked his nose through.

"Are you decent?"

"Yes." I rolled my eyes with a little shake of my head. The door opened a little more and Charles waved a paper at me.

"Your directions are done and ready to go. When do you got to be there?"

"Around three-ish." I went to hunt up my shoes. "Even though it's a thirty minute drive, I'm still not comfortable with the new car."

"You'll get the hang of it kiddo, it's only been a month." He smiled. The company mom worked for had gifted us two cars, one for her and one for Charles, which he and I shared. I shrugged, pulling my shoes out from under my bed skirt.

"I hope so." Slipping my shoes on and tying the laces, I was still concerned about the whole car thing.

"Want me to go with you?" Charles asked, with a mix of joking and being serious.

"I'm sure I can handle it." I smiled up at him, but be just raised an eyebrow. "Trust me, I got this. I'll take it slow, I promise."

"Alright…" He laid the printout and the keys to the car one a table that was beside the door.

UK cars… boggle my mind. I pulled the driver's side door open, tossing my purse onto the passenger side seat, and slid in with the door closing behind me. I turned the key, letting engine rumble as I clicked my belt into place. With my hands on the wheel, and one last glance out the window at Charles standing in the doorway with a smile and waving, I pulled the car out of its parking spot and into the driveway until I met pavement. Ok, so far so good. I took a second to prop the print out on the dash board so I could glance at it without taking my eyes off the road. On the main road, I felt a chilling sensation creep over me but I forced it down when a farm truck came barreling around a turn.

There is a saying that I've heard when we went on day trips to backwoods towns in West Virginia during my summers: the road planners got a black snake drunk, then they got drunk and tried to follow it. I was starting to think there is something that West Virginia and Scotland have in common. I glanced at my printout then craned my neck forward, catching a glimpse of a street sign and my heart leapt for joy. I threw on my blinker and turned onto Hollowhall Lane, which turned out to be one long driveway to one house. The house loomed over a well-manicured lawn as I slowed the car the closer I got to the large set of steps that led up to a large door. I pulled in next to a forest green Land rover. I gazed in awe at the size of the house; it looked like a small manor. I turned the key, pulling it out of the ignition but not before taking a look at the digital clock on the radio interface. I was about ten minutes early but it was better than being late. Grabbing my purse I took a breath before pushing the door open and stepping out onto a gravel driveway.

After the heavy clang of the car door shutting, the only sounds were of the light breeze rustling the leaves on the bushes planted along the edge of the house. I started up the steps, my purse swinging from my shoulder in the light breeze. When I reached the door, I looked it up and down; there was a bronze lion headed doorknocker in the center of the door and a doorbell fastened on the doorframe. I opted for the doorbell since I wasn't sure if the knocker was really functional. I heard the chiming from the other since a second or so after I took my finger off of the button. I was about the press the button again after a good two minutes went by but I heard a lock being turned. The door swung open and standing in the entryway was a blonde woman looking to be the same from the flier.

"Samantha Hall?" She asked, keeping a grip on the door. I smiled and nodded.

"Yep, that's me. You're Dottie then?" I asked her in turn, catching her eyes light up.

"Caught me red handed. Come on in," She nodded her head back into the house. I smiled and walked forward past her into a little hallway lined with coat hooks and umbrella stands. "Find your way here alright?" She asked as she closed the door.

"Yeah, I printed out a map to help me." I waited for her a few feet from the door, waiting for her to lead me into the house.

"We'll meet with Bob first, he and Tony just got in a little bit ago." Through her smile there was an inkling of…something. A hesitation. She led me through to the kitchen where Bob was standing at the sink washing his hands. He looked up as we got closer to the small table in the middle of the room.

"Oh, hello." He looked a bit surprised. Dottie cleared her throat quickly,

"Bob, this is Samantha, our new sitter." She motioned to me. Bob's expression changed from surprise to a friendly smile.

"Sitter huh? I suppose there is a last name to go with you, Samantha?

"Hall. And I prefer Sam." I returned his smile as his eyebrow raised.

"Well, Sam, it's nice to finally have another American around the place. The last sitter we had, I could barely understand!" He gave a hearty laugh at the end. I could feel Dottie's eye roll from beside me.

"Tony will be happy for sure. We can move to the living room." Dottie turned back to the doorway, which I nodded and turned with her. "Bob, could you go get him please?"

"Sure thing." I caught a glimpse of his expression changing again, with the same hesitation as she had a few minutes ago. When we were out of earshot, just now starting into the living room I decided to act on a gut feeling.

"Is… there something that I should know about?" I wanted to know if he was a difficult kid to deal with. I took a seat on a cream colored sofa and as soon as Dottie sat on across an oval coffee table from me, she sighed heavily.

"Sorry, it's just… he's still having a hard time adjusting. Children are vicious, especially when you are new and different."

"But it's been a year, hasn't it?" I asked remembering some details that I've heard about.

"Yeah, that's what we were thinking too. 'Give it enough time and it'll get better' Bob keeps telling me but getting called to the school to sort out troubles every few days is taxing." She looked like she was about to cry and I was starting to notice how tired she sounded.

"Troubles?" I pressed. I wanted to know exactly what I was about to walk into.

"He's… a horror fanatic. Loves the stuff and he's only ten! The kids at school torment him for it because…well… he has a hard time separating fantasy from what's real. He keeps insisting vampires are real and it's getting in the way of his schooling."

"It's not getting… physical, is it?" I was relieved that it was nothing bad on Tony's part, he was a victim of typical school bullies but it still had me worried that the kid was getting beat on for it.

"He came home with a bloody nose a few times last year but that stopped after we had a talk with the school and a long conversation with the two boys' grandfather who kept jumping him." She wrung her hands, a small smile now on her face. "Thank God for small miracles."


	6. Tony

**A/N: Here's chapter 6! The last part of this chapter was honestly spur of the moment and the plot just had it's way with it. Enjoy!**

"Yeah…" I breathed, looking at Dottie with concern. Her sad expression turned to a happy one, a mask more like, when Bob re-entered the room, with Tony a few steps behind him.

"There's my little man!" Dottie smiled, motioned Tony to join her on her sofa. He reluctantly slipped onto it, a light wash of pink on his cheeks.

"Mom… you're embarrassing me…" Tony muttered, glancing up at me every few seconds.

"Tony, this is Sam. She's going to be your new sitter." Dottie smiled again and I waved, a smile now creeping up on my own face. Watching him interact with his parents was infectiously adorable.

"Mooom… I don't need at sitter!" Tony complained, crossing his arms in a huff. "I'm ten, I'm not a little kid."

"Mhm, if you say so buddy." Bob reached down, he was standing behind the sofa, to ruffle Tony's hair. Tony shook his head and smoothed down his hair.

"Aw, come on, I'm not that bad." I put in with a smile. Tony's eyes went wide before he asked with shock,

"You're American?

"Born and raised in Ohio."

"Cool!" Tony's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, and I got the feeling that he was warming up the idea of having another sitter. Bob and Dottie glanced at each other before Bob cleared his throat.

"Well, it's settled then. Sam, we mostly need you for Saturday evenings and on call for emergencies. Think you can go that?"

"Can do, schedule is crystal clear."

"Great! We'll leave you two be for a few." Bob waved his hand before putting it on Dottie's shoulder. She nodded in agreement before getting up. Tony's grin slipped as soon as they were out of the room, dropping into a slight frown.

"Hey now, what's with the long face?" I asked, a bit worried that he thought I was going to call him crazy or something like that.

"They told you, didn't they?" He mumbled, arms crossed and leaning against the back of the sofa.

"About the vampire thing? Yeah, they did." I looked at him as his face drooped down farther, his chin now resting on his chest.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" He asked after a long silence to which I immediately shook my head.

"No, no, not at all. I think it's just gotten a little out of hand is all." He looked up at me as if to say 'so you believe me?' "I really have no grounds to say that they do because I've never seen one but that doesn't prove that they don't"

 **"** Oh…" He didn't look as sad but it still looked like it hurt him to hear that his claims were not being validated; at that point I decided it was a good time to change the subject.

"So, have any friends?" I watched his eyes go wide for a second then they turned back to their droopy state before he brightened back up again.

"Well, not at school but I do have a few that I've met!"

"Oh yeah? They don't go to your school?" I prodded, hoping to keep him talking. Maybe that would get him to warm up to me a bit better.

"No…They're homeschooled. Its two boys and a girl; Rudolph, Gregory and Anna, they're all siblings. Anna is the youngest, Rudolph is my age and Gregory is the oldest." He counted off on his fingers, a big smile now plastered on his face.

"That's awesome! Where do they live?" I smiled along with him. He seemed to hesitate for a moment,

"Not far; they're really cool." He had just finished when Dottie came back into the room, her heels clacking on the floor.

"How's everything going?" She asked, slipping back onto the sofa beside her son. Tony looked up at her and gave a huge nod,

"I like her!"

I had stayed for another hour or so just chit-chatting with Bob and Dottie after Tony got sent off to do his homework before dinner, which Dottie extended an offer to stay for. I had declined wanting to get home before it got dark since I wasn't too knowledgeable about the roads at night. I drove around the loop in their driveway to get back onto the road, flipping the sun visor down so I wouldn't be blinded by a rosy pink and gold sunset.

The way back home wasn't as bad as I had thought but I still pulled into our driveway just as the sun was almost out of sight below the horizon. I killed the engine and clicked off the headlights, not surprised that mom wasn't home yet; she's been staying a few hours over the last few days to catch up on paperwork, not wanting to bring it home with her. I slipped through the door, quietly shutting it behind me. Charles was lounging on the couch, a takeaway box in his lap.

"I ordered in." He turned just as I tossed the keys on the table beside the door. "How'd it go?"

"Pretty well, they're really nice." I slipped into the kitchen to pick up one of the takeaway boxes on the counter before going back to the living room, plopping down on the couch. "Tony's really excited to have an American sitter."

"When do you start?" Charles asked through a mouthful of noodles, ducking his head to not drop any.

"This Saturday. Dottie and Bob go out on Saturdays, so that's when I'll be needed." I cracked open my box, a pile of white rice and rice noodles glistened up at me. "They have a really nice place."

"Do they?"

"Mhm. Dottie gave me the history of the place, apparently it used to be an old manor back in the day of old Scotland." I dug into my rice and noodles with the plastic fork that was taped to the side of the box. "Kind of spooky." I laughed into my meal. Charles snorted into his too.

"Might have to take a tour of it for my next book! What do you think? Killers in the Keep?"

"Doing K's again, hm?" I nudged his arm with my elbow. "Sounds great!"

Later that evening I sat on my bed, going through my purse to pull out the cellphone number Dottie had scribbled on the back on an envelope. The envelope was crumped at bit but the numbers were still visible with their delicate scrawl written in purple. I transferred the numbers to a note card that I had already written the house number on, my own handwriting looking crude next to hers. I tucked the card under my bedside lamp, letting my purse settle to the floor. I had already changed into my night clothes, deciding on fuzzy forest green sleep pants and a dark blue button-up flannel shirt. I had told mom about today's events, while she dug into her own dinner. She had mentioned that she was going to get us all new phones anyway for Christmas but I would be getting mine early since I would be needing it. I flopped back onto my bed, burying my face into my pillows, just listening to my clock tick away. I actually felt content, peaceful. The minutes ticked by and my eyelids began pulling down, trying to lock shut. I had enough of a thought to wriggle under my blankets but not enough to reach up to turn off my lamp. My eyes slipped closed and I drifted off.

A sharp crack woke me from my slumber, echoing off the empty halls of my sleepy mind. I sat up quickly, my vision swimming as the last dregs of sleep ebbed away. I sat stock still, the warmth in my face swiftly draining until the shock of another crack made me jump. A few more times it happed, each one closer to the last… like one would knock on a door to say 'let me in'. But wasn't coming from my door, the sounds was too… sharp. No, it sounded like something hard was being knocked against glass. The window! I threw my blankets off, not even taking notice of the temperature difference. Mentally, I flashed back to the first night and the floating red eyes. Don't tell me it was starting back up again! My heart jumped into my throat as the knocking went on, seemingly with some frustration. With trembling hands I gripped my curtain, not really feeling my feet move forward. As soon as my fingers brushed the fabric, the cracking stopped; I stood there frozen for a few moments before jerking back the heavy fabric. Nothing but the darkness of the night stared back at me. I got inches closer to the glass, the night chill radiating off it like a warning. Something was sitting on the window sill outside… I unlocked the window and slowly raised it, the cold air rushing inside in a heartbeat. Sticking hand out, I pulled the object inside. It was….a rock?

"What in the world?" I muttered, turning the icy rock in my hands, its pale surface smooth. It was like a river rock but a grey-ish white instead of a dark grey or black. I considered just dropping it to the frosty ground below but I thought against it, reaching up to shut the window and relocking it. With a shrug, I pulled the curtain closed, still looking at the rock with interest. Why would a river rock be on my window sill, outside, and two stories up? I didn't see a ladder or anything so how in the hell did it get there? I heaved a sigh. Whatever, I'm going back to bed. I placed the rock on my desk before curling back into the warmth of my blankets and this time turning off the lamp.


End file.
